Out of all the pizza restaurants along Henley Beach road at least twenty β I checked! Italian vocabulary is scattered throughout their menu, which offers both salato; Italian artisan baked goods and pizzas and dolce; decadent or healthy Italian desserts.
Their extensive menu reflects their respective proficiencies, and I was truly blown away by their rapid service speed. It was difficult to decide on a starter⦠so we got them all! Well, almost. Our first bite of the evening was into some home-baked artisan bread, topped with burrata and a small rasher of Prosciutto di Parma. The cheese was served whole and literally burst open as I pierced its outer layers, while the toasted bread and Prosciutto di Parma impeccably complemented the aforementioned star cheese.
This gluten-free and vegan chickpea flour focaccia was served with diced avocado and a small garden salad. Ostensibly a little bizarre, the focaccia itself was dense and flavourful, yet became truly lovely when complemented by the lightness of the fresh avocado. The garden salad served the same purpose, effectively lightening this dish into a true Italian delicacy. The fried-until-golden spheroids of rice are stuffed with mozzarella fior di latte which, when broken into two pieces, serves to emulate an old-fashioned telephone cord.
Quirky etymology aside, these crispy rice balls are cooked in a beef-based tomato sauce and are absolutely delicious. The freshly baked bread is brought to the table steaming, while the garlic butter glistens and my or your stomach rumbles!
Like the pizzas, this bread featured a thick crust and very thin centre, the perfect base for a smorgasbord of flavours to shine. Here, the age-old pairing of garlic and butter was enough to satisfy any garlic bread connoisseur! We decided that it was probably best to get only one round inch pizza⦠We had to save room for the Pizza all apala for 2 people afterwards!
